Is this normal for a volunteer position?

[Toddlerteaplease]

Saw an appeal a few weeks ago for volunteers to work in some archives. I applied as I'd be really interested in it. And I know the archivist. After several weeks I've been asked to write a letter detailing my skills and experience. Is this normal?! I'm not applying for a paid job!

Yes its normal. They will want references as well.

I would imagine so. They’re not going to want someone who hasn’t the first idea what it’s all about.

Have to do this for school governor roles/parent helpers

Yes. They want someone to volunteer their skills rather than just their time.

Yes, before I was accepted as a CP volunteer is had to do an online application form. It was around relevant skills/experience and any other volunteer work I'd done before. They also asked for two referees but only contacted one. I also had a very informal chat/interview over the phone.

Two people both want to do a volunteer job. For to work load they can only use 1 person. How do you propose they pick op?
First to apply because of it isn't paid then they should just take anyone and not choose the person with the noisy experience??

And I did a full residential weekend selection for my volunteer job, as well as two weekends of training

Yes, when I volunteered at a community theatre I had to fill out a full application form.

Yes. Just because it's a voluntary position doesn't mean they're going to take someone who can't do what they need!

I've never worked in an office before, so that might be an issue! I'm a nurse, so not exactly transferrable. But very interested in church history, liturgy and music. Hopefully that will be enough!

Yes, they’ll want to know what skills and experience you bring and to make sure they match you with the best type of role. Managing and supporting volunteers takes a lot of time if it’s done properly so they’ll want to know the kind of support you might need in the role and whether they’re able to offer that - ie training someone from scratch -v- someone with a lot of experience who just needs an induction. There are times you can take enthusiasm and interest and develop skills and times that you need someone with the right skills, they’ll know what they’re able to support just now.

Nurses need to be meticulous and pay attention to the small things, I'd say that's transferable for an activist. Just make sure your passion and any related hobbies shine through.y concern with a nurse is short pattern, are you on regular shifts so you can commit to volunteering at set times or does it vary from week to week?

I am a volunteer manager. It is entirely normal.

As a nurse you’ll know the importance of accurate record keeping and the importance of details. I’d build on your transferable skills.

Its normal. You want to be managed properly as a volunteer (rather than left to do not very much/very boring tasks/stuff you cant do without guidance etc all of which is extremely demotivating)

How would they choose who to give the volunteer role to if they didn't know your skills?

I do think it's ridiculous though. If they want someone with skills and experience, why not pay someone?

Just because they're not paying you doesn't mean it doesn't cost them to employ you

Plus they obviously need to know you will have the skills to do the actual work - and not mess it up!

Why not pay someone? Because they can't afford to generally, these roles are mostly in the charity sector and they understandably want to keep as many of their limited funds as possible for the cause they are trying to support

I found applying for volunteer positions as time consuming as applying for paid work. Lengthy application forms, interviews, tests, training courses, homework, all sorts of stuff. Most of the time I thought that if they wanted such a level of input, they ought to be paying a salary, not expecting people to fund courses and training themselves.

Obviously, they need to know if someone is suitable, but some of the things I had to do were a bit over the top I thought. In fact yetanother, I was left with very, very boring tasks and not allowed to deviate from them or do anything different. It was indeed boring and demotivating and I left.

People volunteer because they want to help out, or want to maintain some social contact, or because they have an interest or passion. That soon goes when everything is tedious.

Very often there’s not enough work to attract people 2/3 hours of work might be enough but few people want a couple of hours a week. Volunteering done well brings benefits to the organisation (in terms of connection to the community, often a more diverse group of people) and the volunteer (an chance to learn new skills, meet new people, give something back). Volunteering in and of itself is a great thing but both the organisation and the individual need to know what they’re getting into, hence application forms etc.

Exactly, and yet there's so many threads here where people ask "How can I make my CV look better?" or "How can I gain some workplace experience when I don't have any?" and they're frequently told to just "pick up a bit of volunteer work" as if it's that easy. I've been turned down for volunteer work on a similar basis and in a way it's even more disheartening than being turned down for a real job. People on here talk about getting volunteer work as if it's this quick, easy thing to get, as if you can just quickly put it on your CV to make it look better.

@tectonicplates

I do think it's ridiculous though. If they want someone with skills and experience, why not pay someone?

Because lots of charities simply cannot afford to. Imagine if places like Samaritans and Child Line only had paid staff, the sheer costs to run would be ridiculous. Not to mention all the small local charities that have very little income

Plus you get people who want to be there, not who just want the money.
And it's well known people will do far more for free than they will for wages.

I was just a bit surprised, as I thought it would be a fairly informal thing.

All your interests is what they want to know about. Every volunteer thing ive done I have filled in forms and had interviews, they can't just take anybody.

Of course it is. Many unpaid volunteers offer professional skills, sometimes in a position of trust requiring discretion and integrity. We do it for many reasons, pleasure, interest, company, to give something back to society. Many charities and voluntary groups run on a shoestring and could never afford to pay the volunteers who give some time to support the cause.

@Toddlerteaplease

I've never worked in an office before, so that might be an issue! I'm a nurse, so not exactly transferrable. But very interested in church history, liturgy and music. Hopefully that will be enough!

As a nurse you've got transferable and relevent work skills; good with different people, patient, responsible, efficient, used to careful detailed record keeping,